Palestinian Prisoner Hunger Strike Suspended After 63 DAYS

From their hospital beds the hunger strikers remain steadfast in their cause: “Administrative detention contradicts democratic and humane values, especially in the arbitrary way that Israel uses it, as there is no justification. There should be strong resistance by everyone in prison or outside against this policy because it greatly harms people, their dignity, family and children.”

Hunger Strike Suspended

Wednesday, June 25 2014: The Palestinian “Prisoners Center for Studies” has reported that hunger striking Palestinian detainees, held by Israel under arbitrary Administrative Detention orders, announced suspending their strike after reaching an agreement with the Israeli security officials, and Prison Administration officials.

In a statement, the detainees said that, as the Israeli aggression escalates against the Palestinian people, and in an attempt to give the families of the detainees some relief, following 63 days of hunger strike carried out by their detained family members, a decision was made to suspend the strike.

“To grant our families some relief, especially before the holy month of Ramadan starts, and following 63 days of ongoing hunger strike, we have decided to suspend our strike”, the statement reads, “We held meetings with Israeli officials, and will release details of the agreement after all hospitalized hunger strikers are discharged”.

On his part, former political prisoner and the head of the Detainees Center for Studies, Ra’fat Hamdouna, stated that the talks between the representatives of the detainees and the Israeli officials lasted until dawn hours.

He said the suspension of the strike is based on an agreement obliging Israel to stop the endless renewals of Administrative Detention orders, without charges or trial.
Hamdouna added that the agreement includes, but not limited to, the following points:

1. Israel to stop the ongoing and open-ended renewals of Administrative Detention orders.

2. Renewals of such orders should not exceed one year.

3. Any renewal after that should be based on official charges, filed against the detainees, not the usual “secret files” that the neither the detainees, nor their lawyers have access to.

Lawyer Ashraf Abu Sneina, and the following detainees – representatives of the detainees committee; signed the statement;

24 June 2014, Occupied Ramallah – One hundred Palestinian administrative detainees continue their 62nd day on hunger strike in protest of the policy of administrative detention, which has denied them their right to know their charges or stand trial.

Solidarity strikers stopped their strikes due to their deteriorating health conditions and the Israeli Prison Service’s (IPS) refusal to negotiate with the hunger strikers. Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association is deeply concerned about the deteriorating health conditions of the hunger strikers, especially in light of the degrading and inhumane treatment they are subjected to in Israeli prisons and hospitals.

“Difficult and Humiliating” Daily Suffering

Signed affidavits from several detainees has confirmed the continued policy of shackling the hunger strikers in hospital 24 hours a day with their legs tied to the bed continuously and one hand shackled to the bed for 12 hours (from 7PM to 7AM) every night. Prisoners have also described the horrific and degrading conditions they are subjected to in order to use the restroom or shower. The intentionally humiliating process has been described by a hunger striker in Barzilai Medical Center. …..

Many of us here in Northern California are in solidarity with you, whatever you decide to do. Stopping for Ramadan is protection for the well-being of your families. We’ll keep in keeping on until justice is served.

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